learning.21st

Monday, November 12, 2012

Though Tornado Alley is considered to be in areas of the Central United States, no official definition of the term has ever been designated by the National Weather Service. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory FAQ,[3] "Tornado Alley" is a term created by the media as a reference to areas that have higher numbers of tornadoes. Over the years, the boundaries of Tornado Alley have not been clearly defined, but the differences are the result of the different criteria used to define the region. 90% of tornadoes hit this region of the U.S because cold, dry air from Canada and the Rocky Mountains meets warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and hot, dry air from the Sonoran Desert, which causes atmospheric instability, heavy precipitation, and many intense thunderstorms.

The most common definition of Tornado Alley is the location where the strongest tornadoes occur more frequently. The core of Tornado Alley consists of northern Texas (including the Panhandle), Oklahoma and Kansas. However, Tornado Alley can be also be defined as an area reaching from central Texas to the Canadian prairies and from eastern Colorado to western Pennsylvania. It can also be disputed that there are numerous Tornado Alleys. In addition to the Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas core, such areas also include the Upper Midwest, the Ohio Valley, the Tennessee Valley and the lower Mississippi valley.

The term "tornado alley" was first used in 1952 by U.S. Air Force meteorologists Major Ernest J. Fawbush (1915 - 1982) and CaptainRobert C. Miller (1920 - 1998) as the title of a research project to study severe weather in parts of Texas and Oklahoma.[4]

Sunday, October 10, 2010

This presentation grew out of a conversation with a colleague that stressed the importance of having concrete strategies for the classroom that they could use with their IWB. The desire was to get past the bells and whistles and use real stuff that actually resulted in academic gains.

Although you can use these strategies without interactive white boards, these proven strategies should be an easy entry point for IWB users. If someone is struggling to authentically use their IWB, an image is a natural first step.

What are some innovative ways you use images and graphics in your classrooms?

Search, learn, share!Brought to you by the producers of theGoogle Teacher Academy, the nationally acclaimedGoogle Workshop for Educators (GWE) introduces participants to innovative ways Google tools can be used in education. The one day workshop includes a full day of fast-paced presentations and hands-on activities including experience with advanced search techniques, collaborative web-based applications, and inspirational instructional strategies.Google Certified Teachers share ways they've implemented tools such as Google Docs, Google Earth, Google Sites, and... even more. Participants who complete the event are given access to the Google Workshops for Educators Network (GWEN), an online community focused on supporting educators as they learn more about the power of Google to drive student learning.

We are looking for creative participants (eager beginners to advanced) that have a desire to build on current skills and integrate relevant technology into the classroom. Participants should have a desire to collaborate online with other educators from the workshop and help support each other with questions and successes. Participants should bring their own ideas and be willing to look at big picture when pace is fast and dive into the relevant details during time set aside for application.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Over the last several classes the students have been creating MN Geology Maps in Google My Maps. This is a repeat assignment from last year with a few notable changes for the better. The biggest change was adding a rubric the students used to assess their placemarks. In the past it was very difficult to assess the maps, but this time I used more specific criteria like links, photos titles in addition to the content. I also simplified the login process by using a single login for the entire class (+30 students). Finally, I created a Google Site to use as the source based on the Virtual Egg Carton from the Minnesota Geologic Survey.